Isolated and rugged, the stunning peaks and canyons were made for cowboy flicks and you outdoorsy types.

Total distance: 315 miles. Sedona, AZ, a mix of red rock formations, evergreens, and endless blue sky, is an OMG waiting to happen. Take a Zen-like hike around Bell Rock; New Agers say it's the site of a strong vortex—a swirling of spiritual energy that causes juniper trees to twist and, perhaps, profound or magical things to happen. You decide! Because Native Americans settled the area, it's a great spot to check out their ancient hilltop and cliffside dwellings, too; see pictographs and ruins at Palatki Heritage Site. Stay at the Matterhorn Inn (from $169; matterhorninn.com), with rustic-elegant decor and incredible vistas, and grab lunch at the view-tastic Tii Gavo's rooftop terrace before heading out of town.

7 miles: Be sure to wear a bathing suit when you leave Sedona so you can hit up Slide Rock State Park, not far from downtown Sedona. Shimmy down a rock waterslide carved by Mother Nature herself, then chill in a swimming hole.

151 miles: Drive east of the Grand Canyon to take the most gorgeous pics of your trip at Antelope Canyon, a Navajo Nation park near Page, AZ. It's known as a slot canyon for its narrowness (3 feet wide by 100 feet deep in spots!), and the curvaceous walls are even more stunning when a ray of sunshine splices through. Book a one-hour tour of the canyon; a guide is required to visit it (from $35; navajotours.com). Stay overnight at Cliff Dwellers Lodge (from $80; cliffdwellerslodge.com), originally a 1920s trading post, with a delicious on-site restaurant. Order the avocado pie with candied lemons—you won't regret it.

18 miles: Even companions not obsessed with the new Jurassic World movie will be fascinated by the free dinosaur exhibit at Big Water (UT) Visitor Center. It's a mini museum of bones excavated from nearby sites.

57 miles: Another cool (literally) stop is Moqui Cave in Kanab, UT. It never gets hotter than 70 degrees, which is why the Native Americans used it as a fridge 800 years ago. Nowadays you can see fluorescent minerals, Native American artifacts, and dinosaur tracks.

82 miles: Once you reach Bryce Canyon National Park, take advantage of the easy trails leading down into the canyon, then walk among the countless rows of towering but delicate red rock spires. After, grab an elk burger and a slice of sour cream raisin pie at Bryce Canyon Pines. Relax at Ruby's Inn (rooms from $120; rubysinn.com), where you can camp, rent a cabin, or get a comfy hotel room, before heading back to the park at night. With one of the darkest skies in the world, Bryce Canyon is a stargazer's dream. Use the rangers' telescopes—or not. The 7,500-plus stars are awe-inspiring either way.

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The Bluegrass & Buggy Ride Tour: Kentucky & Ohio

If the everything-was-due-yesterday pace of life leaves little time for the simple things, slow your roll with a trip through unpretentious cities and countryside.

Total distance: 332 miles. Your mellow begins in Louisville, KY, home of the famous horse race and plenty of bluegrass and bourbon. At the über-interactive Kentucky Derby Museum, catch the thrilling 360-degree movie of this year's race, then test your jockey skills on a mechanical horse. Fuel up on mesquite dry-rub wings or homemade sausage at Momma's Mustard, Pickles & BBQ, and don't leave without at least tasting bourbon. Nibble bourbon-infused truffles at the Art Eatables chocolate shop or sip one of 60 varieties at The Monkey Wrench, where even the under-21 crew will love the live bluegrass and brunch on Sundays. Stay over at the stylish Galt House Hotel (from $150; galthouse.com).

Churchill Downs Race Track

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32 miles: As you drive away, don't turn on an audio book yet. In Shelbyville, KY, the former headquarters of Kentucky Fried Chicken is now a restaurant started by the Colonel's wife. Yes, there's great chicken!

22 miles: In Frankfort, KY, the more than 200-year-old Buffalo Trace Distillery offers tours (cool even to teetotalers and juniors) and tastes (not for the driver!!) of its award-winning bourbon.

79 miles: Your next overnight: Cincinnati, a town with terrific museums. At the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, you'll learn how American slaves braved their way to freedom; nearby is the Cincinnati Museum Center, with three museums housed in the city's historic art deco train station. The children's museum has an indoor wilderness-themed playground perfect for littles who've been cooped up in the car. And try the city's famous chili con carne, served atop spaghetti; Camp Washington Chili has dished it up since 1940. Spend your food coma spread out downtown at Garfield Suites Hotel (from $109; garfieldsuiteshotel.com).

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144 miles: See the world's biggest basket (seven stories!) at the Longaberger basket factory in Newark, OH; farther up the road, weave a smaller one at the Longaberger Homestead.

55 miles: Head into Amish country. In Millersburg, OH, roads often have more buggies than cars. Cruise County-77 and State-557 for shops selling candles, quilts, and baskets as well as cheeses and jams. At Yoder's Amish Home, you can learn about Amish life, meet bunnies and lambs, and take a spin in a buggy. Don't miss the phenomenal bologna sandwiches at Troyer's Genuine Trail Bologna, where they've been serving a special recipe since 1912. Stay at the Barn Inn Bed and Breakfast (from $129; thebarninn.com), and be sure to ask if there's a village festival happening nearby.

The New Food Trail: Oregon

Pack your stretchiest yoga pants for chowhound heaven in the great, green Pacific Northwest. To best savor the raging locavore scene and seriously good pinot noirs, you may want to leave the picky eaters at home.

Total distance: 248 miles. In Portland, OR, live like a local by eating from a few of the city's hundreds of food trucks. Head to SW 10th Avenue and Alder Street for the city's largest caravan; at El Taco Yucateco's white-and-silver trailer, try the $2 panuchos— chicken tacos with pink pickled onions and avocado. Walk off calories at the International Rose Test Garden, where you can take time to smell the blooms on at least some of the 8,000 bushes and admire the pretty views. Later, unwind in the quirky, music-themed McMenamins Crystal Hotel, where there's a steamy soaking pool (from $155; mcmenamins.com).

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97 miles: Follow the path of explorers Lewis and Clark along the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway. Stop in Astoria, OR, a charming port town where the river meets the Pacific, and where '80s classic The Goonies was filmed. You'll find tons of on-set memorabilia and can make your own greenscreen video at the tiny Oregon Film Museum. At Fort Clatsop, walk as much of the 6.5-mile Fort to Sea Trail as you have time for to follow Lewis and Clark's final, trailblazing footsteps before they headed back east.

25 miles: There are art galleries and fun, kitschy shops in Cannon Beach, OR, but on a sunny day you'll find most visitors taking in the amazing view of Haystack Rock, jutting out of the Pacific. Another good outdoor adventure: razor clamming, which lasts through July 15. Rent a shovel ($15) and get a license ($11.50 for three days) at Trucke's 1 Stop in nearby Seaside, then head to the Seaside Aquarium— some of the best digging is right in front. If you're not game to clean and eat your bounty, you can donate the shellfish to the aquarium. Freshen up before grabbing a seat at Cannon Beach Café, a beachy bistro with delicacies like prosciutto salad— sushi-like rolls of arugula, spinach, and chèvre cheese wrapped in the dry-cured ham. Then off to bed at Ecola Creek Lodge, a charming place where every room is different (from $89; ecolacreeklodge.com).

41 miles: Make Tillamook Cheese Factory a lunch stop. There's a self-guided tour and free samples, but mostly you'll want to brake for the grilled cheese.

85 miles: Home to more than 300 wineries, the Willamette Valley is also packed with hazelnut orchards and Christmas tree farms. A fun but spendy way to see the valley is a two-hour horseback tour to local wineries from Equestrian Wine Tours ($120; equestrianwinetours.com). Or, go budget and pick up delicious lunch supplies at Fino in Fondo. In their salumeria (a.k.a. the salami tasting room), try a variety of their gourmet meats and walk away with your favorite. Picnic among the rare plants garden at Villa Catalana Cellars, then taste the wine there. When you start getting drowsy, rest your head at historic McMenamins Hotel Oregon on the town of McMinnville's sweet main street (from $115; mcmenamins.com).

The Midwest Riviera Route: Illinois & Michigan

The 200 miles of sugar-sand beaches and lovely waterfront towns along Lake Michigan scream vacation, in a really nice Midwestern way.

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Total distance: 468 miles. Launch your route in Chicago. Learn about the city's historic architecture with a boat tour on the lake and down the Chicago River ($31.95; seadogcruises.com).

151 miles: Like its namesake, Holland, MI, is filled with tulips and windmills. Soak up sunshine at Holland State Park beach, then cool off in the Holland Museum, where you'll learn about the city's ties to the motherland. Stay at the sleek CityFlatsHotel (from $199; cityflatshotel.com), and, for breakfast, pick up some fluffy cinnamon rolls from fifth-generation bakers at De Boer's Bakkerij.

36 miles: In Muskegon, MI, tour the USS Silversides, a World War II sub.

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59 miles: Next stop: Sleepy Ludington, MI, for an ice cream cone at House of Flavors and a walk on the pier to the historic lighthouse.

79 miles: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Empire, MI, is 35 miles of protected dune bluffs, forests, and beaches. Surf with rentals and lessons from Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak, climb the 450-foot-tall sand slopes, or just gaze at the Caribbeanlike water. Refuel at Joe's Friendly Tavern, where juicy burgers go great with homemade root beer. Savor a masala chai tea chocolate bar from Grocer's Daughter Chocolate for dessert, then tuck yourself in at the homey Empire Lakeshore Inn (from $69; empirelakeshoreinn.net).

143 miles: Pull the parking brake; it's time to leave the car behind. Take Star Line's 20-minute ferry ride from Mackinaw City, MI, to Mackinac Island, where vehicles were banned in 1898 (your car can stay in the ferry parking lot for free). The Victorian downtown is almost too adorable with its quaint shop fronts and the clip-clop of horse-drawn taxis, but you'll eat it up, along with the famous local fudge. There are more than a dozen shops; Murdick's Fudge has the original, creamy recipe, but locals also love JoAnn's. Drive a horse buggy from Jack's Livery (starting at $66)—they'll pick you a horse you can handle— then tour Fort Mackinac, dating to the Revolutionary War. After dinner at the Pink Pony, stay at the Windermere Hotel, a charming B&B with a sparkling view (from $95; windermerehotel.com).

The Classic New England Trek: Massachusetts, New Hampshire & Maine

There's no better way to understand the American spirit than to see where it was born. Also: There's shopping.

Total distance: 203 miles. In Boston, visit the gracious Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where you'll feel like a visitor to the past in the artwork- and furniture-filled mansion. But don't miss the empty frames, which have been that way for 25 years, since art thieves stole several works, including prized ones by Vermeer and Rembrandt. Take a 10-minute walk to Neighborhoods Coffee & Crepes, where you can fuel up with dozens of crepe options, including ones filled with homemade jam. Or, just bring your fam to the new Legoland Discovery Center: You can even cram in some history when you all pause to admire the Boston Tea Party, rendered in teensy plastic bricks.

17 miles: Hop back in the car, because you want to get to Gloucester, MA, one of America's oldest seaports, now an artists' haven. Stroll Rocky Neck Art Colony, a series of galleries housed in cottages. Then sweep along the coast in a tall ship, even helping to raise its sails, with Schooner Sails ($40; schooner.org). In the evening, grab a table at Woodman's, the birthplace of fried clams, then head to the hilltop Vista Motel (from $104; vistamotel.com).

Boothbay Harbor, ME

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57 miles: Settled in the early 1600s, the small city of Portsmouth, NH, has retained its historic brick buildings and active fishing port. To get acquainted with the city's roots, walk around Strawbery Banke Museum, a 10-acre preserved neighborhood showcasing homes, shops, and taverns dating back to the late 1600s. Then head over to old-town Market Square for eclectic, tax-free shopping and a sidewalk seat at Popovers on the Square. Order the popovers, obviously (you can get them filled with clam chowder!). Then check in to the Ale House Inn, a renovated 1870s warehouse, which will welcome you with a beer and a loaner bike (from $199; alehouseinn.com).

29 miles: Take another break in Wiscasset, ME, home to tons of antique stores, plus Red's Eats, a roadside stand serving a whole crustacean's worth of meat on its lobster rolls.

13 miles: Unwind in picturesque Boothbay Harbor, ME, a Native American fishing village that became an English settlement. Ponder life back when with a walk through winding narrow streets to the Lobster Dock, a wooden waterfront shack serving three-pound lobsters fresh from the sea. Whale-watching season runs from May through October; go out on Cap'n Fish's Whale Watch boat ($54; mainewhales.com). Starting in late May, overnight it at Fisherman's Wharf Inn (from $149; fishermanswharfinn.com), perched on pilings at the water's edge.